Mai be expecting
by toxic-dreamer-2
Summary: With a despondent sigh she lowered herself to her knees in front of a small empty waste basket, and with as much dignity as a fire lady could have under the circumstances, she leaned forward and promptly threw up.
1. Chapter 1

**MERRY CHRISTMAS...or should I say 'Happy Holidays'? (rolls eyes). **

**Anyway....this story has nothing to do with the holidays..lol. Unless you consider it my gift to you as the readers, but that seems odd for some reason.**

**Truthfully, I just had to get this idea out of my head.**

**so here it is!**

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Mai let out a soft groan as she opened her eyes, having woken up just a little before dawn by the churning in her stomach. Tilting her head up, she gazed at her husband, who looked to be sound asleep beside her, head turned so that the scarred side of his face lay against one of the pillows. Some would think it a shame that his face be ruined by such a mark, but Mai had never minded, nor did she think it made him any less attractive. Perhaps she just had a thing for scars, she thought, noticing her hand laying across his bare chest, where another angry red mark stood out against his pale skin; dangerously close to his heart. Mai closed her eyes, wondering why this thought scared her, even after all this time. She reminded herself that he was safe, and that she could feel steady rise and fall of his chest beneath her hand.

Her stomach protested again.

Breaking away from her musings, Mai cautiously slid her hand off her husbands warm chest and turned to get out of bed. Zuko was an abnormally light sleeper-a habit he had acquired during his time as a fire nation fugitive- and even now in the safety of the palace he still woke to the smallest bump in the night. Luckily though, Mai was a master of stealth.

Sliding gracefully out of bed, not disturbing the sheets or covers, her feet lightly touched the floor and she soundlessly made her way toward her and Zukos private Bath room.

With a despondent sigh she lowered herself to her knees in front of a small empty waste basket, and with as much dignity as a fire lady could have under the circumstances, she leaned forward and promptly threw up.

The first time she had written it off as a fluke, blaming it on something she had eaten the night before, but it was now going on two weeks, and she could hardly recall a morning when she didn't feel nauseous.

Normally she would have been more concerned, but whatever sickness she had seemed to wear off around noon, and by evening she felt perfectly fine. She did her best to hide any display of weakness from Zuko, not wanting him to worry or over react, but this proved the most difficult of all.

He was an early riser and there had been several times when Mai had almost been caught in the act of emptying her stomach. On certain mornings Zuko would comment that she looked paler than normal, and ask if she was okay, but he never pressed that matter when she denied that anything was wrong.

Mai clutched the fabric of her nightgown around her belly, and when it finally seemed her stomach had settled, she closed her eyes and took in a few calming breaths from her spot of the floor, feeling drained.

She tensed when she heard the door creak open behind her, clenching her eyes tight. Had she made too much noise? Or had it been the sun who had awakened him? Whatever the reason, it mattered very little now.

"Mai?"

She waited for him to question her, to react irrationally to the sight of her nearly crumbled on the floor, but to her surprise he did neither.

In stead she felt him walk forward and kneel beside her on the floor, placing a warm hand gently on her back.

When he spoke his voice was calm.

"Mai."

She opened her eyes with a sigh, but didn't look up as she plainly addressed him.

"Zuko."

This time it was his turn to sigh, as if exhausted from a battle he hadn't yet fought.

"I think you should see one of the healers."

She glanced at him sharply, frowning at his forwardness. It was so like Zuko to get straight to the point, and although she accepted this as one of his qualities, she also found it quite annoying at times.

"You're overreacting." she replied, defiant despite her position. "I'm fine."

Zuko gave a small snort of disbelief.

"Because throwing up for no apparent reason is completely normal." he said, unconvinced..

Mai lowered her head, casting her face into shadow.

"This isn't the first time either, is it?" he asked, accusingly but with an underlying tone of concern. "You've been waking up before me nearly every morning."

"It's nothing." she intoned.

"You're lying."

Despite his stern tone, he didn't raise his voice, and his hand still felt gentle and warm against her back.

"You're sick, Mai." he replied, and then his tone softened. "And it's starting to show."

Mai turned her head toward him with a slight glare.

"Excuse me?"

Zuko sighed, realizing his error.

"I just meant that its taking its toll on you." He replied. "The guards tell me you barely touch your breakfast, and although you spend most of your mornings in bed, you still seem exhausted."

Mai continued to frown, though her eyes were now on the floor. Figures those stupid guards would rat her out- Mai had not even thought about that before- perhaps another testimony to her wellness.

Zuko's other hand came up to cup the side of her face and she closed her eyes as she leaned into his touch, suddenly very tired. His thumb gently stroked her cheek and his voice was soft and full of concern.

"I don't like seeing you like this."

Mai sighed, vaguely annoyed that Zuko's words and touch could effect her so.

"You know how I feel about seeing a healer, Zuko." she said, a half-hearted protest at best, but she refused to be too compliant.

"Yeah, I know." he replied, and she knew by the tone of his voice that he was smiling, perhaps even vaguely amused. "But surely you wouldn't refuse the Fire Lord's request?"

She felt the corner of her mouth turn up in a small smirk, and she opened her eyes to meet his gaze; his amber eyes light with humor.

"Only a request, My Lord?" She asked, smartly.

Zuko glared at her softly, although there was no real anger in his eyes. Mai was sure Zuko would continue their little banter- both a teasing and flirty exchange between fire lord and lady. However Mai felt her stomach churn again, the nausea returning in yet another wave and her smile falter as she pulled back from Zuko's touch, turning her body back toward the basket.

She closed her eyes as she felt her stomach lurch, and she stubbornly swallowed back the bile in her throat, shuddering in disgust at the action.

The hand that had once been gently stroking her cheek found its way to her upper arm. His grip was firm but not overly so, and he turned her slightly to face him, although she didn't look up.

"It's not just a request."

His voice was sure and strong, all amusement gone from his voice.

"I suppose there's no changing your mind then?" She asked, sounding too weary to really argue.

Zuko obviously sensed her defeat, for he loosened his grip on her arm, sliding his hand up her shoulder and then neck till his hand found it place once again on her cheek.

"I'm afraid not." He answered, in a decidedly kinder tone.

She looked up, caught in his concerned although gently smiling face.

"Fine." She agreed coolly. "But you're still overreacting."

He rolled his eyes, but helped pull her to her feet.

Mai casually observed how fresh and awake he looked, despite how early it was. There were no traces of sleep in his eyes, or any display of tiredness in his moves, and Mai found herself both slightly annoyed and impressed. Annoyed because she could only imagine how horrible she looked in comparison-having never been a morning person- and impressed because, well….he did look rather handsome. His once bare chest had been covered hastily by a silken red robe, and his dark brown hair appeared well kept despite him having just gotten out of bed.

Perhaps she had taken a second longer than she should have admiring her husband though, because Zuko seemed to mistaken her pause as a sign of tiredness due to her being sick.

Mai could hardly suppress a yelp of surprise when Zuko swiftly lifted her into his arms. Her own arms instinctively found there way around Zuko's neck, and the young Fire lord smirked slightly at having managed to catch the usually impassive women off guard.

Mai composed herself quickly though, and glared steadily into her husbands face.

"What are you doing?"

"Carrying you back to our bed." Zuko replied calmly, turning to do just that.

"it's just a stomach flu, Zuko." she told him, squirming in his arms. "I'm perfectly capable of walking on my own."

He looked down into her face, and smiled despite his wife's glare.

"Maybe I just wanted to hold you in my arms." he said, grinning.

Mai rolled her eyes, but stopped struggling and laid her head against him.

"You're such a dork."

She felt more than heard his amused laughter as it vibrated in his chest. It was pleasant feeling, she decided- he'd been more than little stressed out lately and his sudden display of happiness amidst his concern for her was reassuring.

He lowered her carefully onto their bed, and she was not surprised that the mattress still felt warm on his side; it always did.

She crossed her arms, stubbornly refusing to look up at him, as if this would salvage whatever dignity she had lost by allowing him to carry her like a child.

When he made no move to join her, she begrudgingly looked up at him, eyebrow raised when she noticed Zuko pulling his hair into a topknot.

"Going somewhere?" she asked, trying to sound unconcerned.

Zuko briefly met her gaze before removing his night robe and proceeding to change into his more official Fire Lord attire.

"There's some things I need to take care of." he answered with a shrug. "And there's a meeting around noon that I must attend."

Mai frowned.

"What else is new?" She asked dryly.

Zuko sighed as he turned to face her, a slightly pleading look on his face.

Mai looked the other way, feeling suddenly more annoyed than she should have been.

"So you're just going to leave me here then." she noted, with a bit of steel in her normally monotone voice. "How foolish of me to believe I had made it to the top of your priority list."

Zuko frowned, although it went unnoticed.

"You know it's not like that, Mai."

She did know, but that didn't make her any happier about the situation. She knew from the very beginning that Zuko would have a lot of responsibilties and duties to uphold, and that they would need to come first. He was the Fire Lord, and he was striving for peace and stability after a hundred years of war and fighting.

The first couple of years had been the hardest, and Zuko had had to struggle just to gain respect from many of his councilmen- who felt he was too young and inexperienced to lead; a foolish child playing dress up, one particularly bold member had stated.

Mai was grateful for whatever time she was allowed to have with him, and had even begun helping him with some of the tasks he took on. Zuko was smart, but Mai had more insight when it came to the noble families, and how to read people. She acted as his adviser, his confident, his companion, and his…lover.

Mai knew Zuko disliked having to cancel plans they made, or being late for some of their dates, and so she never commented before. Zuko was restoring honor to the fire nation and Mai would never be so selfish as to demand otherwise. She was proud of him, and although their quality time together had been short in those years, they had come to understand each other much better; to know each others strengths and weaknesses, and accept them, even love each other for them.

It was at the end of those first two years, on the anniversary of his coronation, that he proposed. He had invited the entire gang to the palace for the anniversary, something they all agreed on would be a tradition. He had attempted several times to speak with her privately, but was continuously interrupted. It wasn't until Toph -who must have sensed his urgency- started a food fight, that Zuko was allowed to slip away unnoticed by the guards and lead her to the gardens.

She had never seen Zuko so nervous, and she practically had to threaten him before he composed himself and asked her to be his wife. Even then, he looked into her eyes as if expecting her to reject him after all this time, his expression both hopeful and guarded. She couldn't even speak, and so responded in the only was she could, capturing his lips with her own; in their relationship, actions always seemed to speak louder than words.

It was this memory that finally seemed to ease her annoyance and she sighed, coming back to the present.

"I know." She replied, glancing up at him. "That doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Me neither." Zuko pointed out. "But I'm already up, and as much as I'd like to curl up next to you in bed," The corner of Mai's mouth twitched up briefly, "I know that the sooner I get this over with, the sooner I can get back to you."

Mai nodded once, and Zuko leaned down to place a tender kiss on her forehead.

"I'll have a healer sent by in a few hours." he told her. "That way you can get some more rest first."

"I don't really see the point." Mai replied, still not fond of the idea of having a healer examine her. "They can't tell me anything I don't already know."

"Maybe not." Zuko admitted. "But they can provide medicine to help make you better. Or would you rather stay sick?"

Mai gave him a pointed look, and Zuko smiled patiently in return.

"Listen, you're probably right about it being the stomach flu," he admitted. "But it doesn't hurt to be sure. Besides, you're the Fire Lady- and more importantly my wife- and you deserve the best."

'Nice save' Mai thought, rolling her eyes. "Gee, don't I feel special."

Zuko chuckled, and after another chaste kiss, and the promise of lunch together near the gardens later that day, he departed.

Mai leaned back into the pillows and stared at the ceiling. Her stomach already felt more at ease, and she wished she was allowed more time to convince Zuko that she was alright, but if seeing the healer would get Zuko to back off, so be it. Perhaps the healers would be able to offer some sort of remedy after all.

Sighing, she closed her eyes. She had been kind of hard on Zuko for a bit there, and she wondered why she had allowed herself to get that way. Mai wasn't the type of person to let her emotions get the best of her- that was Zuko.

Perhaps she was nearing her monthly cycle, that would certainly explain things. She had skipped the last cycle, which was not an uncommon thing for her, but she had never gone without two. Yes, that was probably the reason- pre-menstrual hormones no doubt.

Relaxing into the pillows, she decided to get as much sleep as she could before the healer -or healers, knowing Zuko- would arrived. She snuggled closer to Zuko's side of the bed, her body instinctively seeking out his warmth, and she let her mind wander else where, her hand laying comfortable over her belly.

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**Hope you liked it, although I know that Zutara is perferred over Maiko. **

**I'm actually a fan of both pairings, but everytime I try to write a Zutara themed story I feel like I'm completely betraying Mai. I guess 'cause she doesn't really have anyone else in the show- at least with Katara you know she won't be alone- she'll have Aang, or (insert male characters name here).**

**it should be painfully obvious whats wrong with Mai, the title itself gives it away (if you can come up with another title, let me know).**

**Anyway, leave me a review. I know this is random-No flames please.**


	2. Chapter 2

**YAH, there really is another chapter! ^_^**

**This is more from Zuko's Perspective because.....well because I felt like it. lol. There was a lot of Mai in the first chapter...and I thought it would be nice to switch out a bit.**

**Let me know if I was right. Enjoy!**

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Although Zuko had gained a lot of respect as Fire Lord, at times he still felt as if he were being tested when certain issues were brought to his attention; sometimes repeatedly. Today had been one of those days, and although Zuko did not wish to rule with fear, he did feel some measure of satisfaction when he angrily stood up and announced that the issue was not up for discussion -causing the torches around the room to blaze, and most of the men to shrink back. It was hard to concentrate during a meeting when you felt you had already attended it a hundred times over, and Zuko was tired of having to repeat himself. His thoughts seemed to always wander back to Mai too, feeling more and more anxious about seeing her, and not even bothering to wait for everyone else to leave the meeting before exiting himself.

She had seemed fine by the time he had left her, almost completely back to normal, although a bit upset. She didn't seemed to have lost any weight, he noticed while carrying her back to their bed, which was good considering her lack of appetite during the mornings. The healer he had sent to examine her had also not reported back to him, which meant that there was nothing pressing to say about her condition, yet still he felt like something was off.

Perhaps Mai was right, and he was just being over protective, or even pessimistic, although it was hard for him not be.

After all, it seemed as if peace had finally been established within the nations, and for the first time in a long time things were going well in Zuko's life. He knew that Mai was a major reason for this, and he held no doubts about her importance in his life. He sometimes wondered if he could have made it through those first couple years as Fire Lord without her by his side, and now her role there had been made permanent. She had agreed to marry him, something that shouldn't have surprised him as greatly as it did, but he had not been accustomed to things going his way- he still wasn't. And that was most likely the reason for his sudden anxiety about her health. It seemed to be a pattern in Zuko's life to loose those he cared about, to have things fall apart just when things were going right. It seemed like fate was destined to intervene when ever Zuko found happiness. Why would now be any different?

He shook his head, deliberately slowing down his pace. 'You're worrying over nothing.' he told himself, and the voice in his head echoed in Mai's exasperated although monotone voice.

He released a breathe, and turned the corner, coming to an abrupt stop at the sight before him.

Mai.

Zuko knew he would be passing the gardens, but although he had promised her lunch there, he hadn't expected to find her waiting on him.

She was facing away from him at the moment, adorned in a traditional fire nation gown, and hair only half pulled up, her golden royal pendant gleaming in the afternoon sun. Her hands rested neatly on the white railing in front of her, separating herself from the extravagant garden that the small patio overlooked. A small table set to one side, a simple lunch prepared for two still sitting there untouched.

He had half expected to find Mai still in bed, but that was clearly not the case. She was very much awake, and prepared. Most likely annoyed with having to wait for him, he thought as the last of his tension eased and he approached her.

He could tell by the slight rise of her shoulders that she was aware of his presence even before he got close, but that did nothing to stop the sly smile on his face as he stopped behind her, resting his hands gently on her narrow shoulders, and leaning forward to speak softly into her ear.

"I see you're feeling better."

"I am." she replied, just as softly.

Zuko smiled at the reassurance, planting small tender kisses on the side of her neck, taking in the scent of her hair. He felt her shiver slightly at the contact and then smirked against her skin before nibbling gently on her flesh.

"Zuko." he voice was nearly hushed, even a bit pleading.

Zuko moved his hands from her shoulders and brought them to lay on her waist, gently pulling her closer against him. When Mai leaned back slightly into his touch, he brought his hands around her in a light although affectionate embrace. As soon as his hands hand rested comfortably on her stomach however, she stiffened.

"Zuko." her voice was more stern now. "Please stop."

Confused, Zuko pulled back slightly, though still holding her. "Why?"

Hadn't Mai complained that very morning about their time together being so limited?

"You're distracting me."

Zuko smiled ironically at the statement, although Mai could not see the expression.

"That's kind of the idea." He replied with a bit of a playful tone as he placed his lips against her neck once again.

This time Mai turned away from his affectionate touch.

"I'm serious."

Mai's tone was unmistakable, and Zuko was not so foolish as to ignore it a second time. Cautiously he pulled away, frowning in confusion as he came to stand beside her. Could it be that she was still upset with him from earlier? It was a ridiculous notion, but Zuko had to admit that Mai's behavior had been a little irrational as of lately.

"Is this about what happened this morning?" he asked , glancing sideways at her, although her head was turned away from him.

There was a pause before Mai shook her head, answering with an emotionless "No."

Zuko frowned a bit more, wondering if she were being honest with him, but when she didn't say anything else, he decided to continue.

"I'm sorry you had to wait on me," he said, apologizing for what he thought might also be the problem. "I wish I could say it was a productive meeting, but I'd probably be lying."

He chuckled slightly, but Mai's only response was a disinterested 'hm'. Zuko frowned, now completely at a loss, but attempting to at least get her attention, he reached over to lay one of his hands over her own. He was surprised when he felt her jerk slightly at the contact, almost as if she had been caught off guard- a task not easily accomplished by anyone, especially someone who was already within such close range. She had obviously been in deep thought, and Zuko knew that Mai was not the day dreaming type.

"Something on your mind?" He asked, not commenting on what he had just silently observed.

"Sort of." she replied without hesitation, and then as if changing the subject she continued. "The healer came later than I expected."

Zuko was a bit confused by the change in topic, but smiled some.

"I thought you'd appreciate the extra sleep." he confessed. "And I didn't want to chance you sending him away if he came too early."

"I almost did anyway." She admitted dryly. "He was annoying."

Zuko chuckled some.

"Maybe so, but you do seem to be feeling better." He replied, grinning. "I'm guessing you were right about it being a stomach flu then?"

She released a soft breath, and he felt her hand clench and unclench beneath his touch.

"Not exactly."

Zuko gave her a questioningly look, but it went unnoticed since Mai still did not look his way.

"Well it can't have been anything urgent," He said, frowning a bit. "He was to immediately report back to me if it was."

"Unless I ordered him not to." She said simply, and immediately sensing her Husbands confusion explained, "I felt it was something that you needed to hear from me."

Zuko blinked, unsure of what this meant, although his previous sense of dread returned. He wasn't going to be as petty as to question why her orders would override his own, and so just assumed that she was handling the situation in a way that was best for the both of them. Mai had always done so in the past, and he trusted her with that.

Still, this did nothing to settle his nerves.

"Is it something serious?" He asked, being direct and hoping she would dismiss his concerns.

There was another pause, this one more pronounced than before as she answered quietly and calmly.

"Yes. It is."

Zuko felt numb, unable to respond in any way as his mind processed what she had just said.

He knew that Mai was not one to easily admit when something was wrong, especially if it concerned herself, and so the fact that she had just plainly acknowledged that whatever illness she had was serious….

Zuko's numbness was replaced by a feeling like ice water trickling down his back, and his heart seemed to stop beating for a moment before it settled in the pit of his stomach.

With a sudden sense of urgency, and almost without realizing it, he had pulled her hand away from the railing and gripped it firmly in his own.

"It can't be that bad." He said, forcing down his own panic and trying to be rational. "You wouldn't be out of bed if it was. And you said yourself that you were feeling better."

Mai turned toward him slightly, not refusing his comfort, but still not meeting his gaze. She didn't look sick from what he could tell, and her voice had not sounded grim when she spoke- although Mai was very good at detaching herself from her emotions when she needed to.

"I am feeling better." Mai intoned. "And I didn't say it was bad. Just serious."

Zukos frowned deeply at Mai's cryptic answer, feeling as if he were talking to his uncle, trying to solve some kind of riddle, and it frustrated him. This new feeling seemed to be a welcome distraction from his other more distressing emotions, and he found himself slipping effortlessly into an old role.

"You didn't say it was good either." he pointed out, his annoyance easily masking his fear and concern, "So as far as I'm concerned, it's the same thing."

Mai's hand jerked out of his own, and although her eyes were shadowed he saw the corner of her mouth turn down; two subtle but clear signs that she was upset.

And just as quickly as his anger had come, it left, and Zuko sighed in slight frustration-not at Mai, but himself- knowing that he had let his emotions get the best of him, and hating the way he had just acted.

"I'm sorry," he forced out past his own self-loathing, sounding just as drained as he suddenly felt. "I'm just…worried."

For the first time since his arrival, she looked up at him.

Mai had always been a difficult person to read, and often it was only when looking her in the eyes that Zuko was able to decipher what she was feeling. However, as Mai's dark amber eyes met his own light gold, he was completely taken back.

Her eyes seemed to almost glisten, as if trying to convey too many emotions at once. The intensity of it reminded Zuko of the boiling rock, and how she had glared steadily at him from behind a locked door before he made his escape. Back then Zuko felt as if it had taken almost all his strength to turn away from her, and the look of anger, betrayal, and hurt in her eyes had stayed with him long after. However, although her eyes held the same intensity, they did not possess any of those aforementioned emotions.

"It's okay, Zuko." She answered, and despite the slight unease in her otherwise patient smile, Zuko had never heard Mai sound so at peace.

Calm and emotionless, yes, but nothing like this.

"I didn't expect you to make this easy for me." she confessed, in a tone that was more teasing than annoyed.

It was hard for Zuko to describe how beautiful she looked in that moment, and he wanted so much to kiss her then, to pull her close and tell her how much he loved her. This sudden rush of love and affection, immediately followed by the realization that something was wrong, caused Something inside Zuko to break.

The look in Mai's eyes gained new meaning, and Zuko thought it might have been acceptance that he recognized. Whatever her condition may be, however serious it was, she had found peace with it, and Zuko felt anything but relieved with this.

Mai was a rational person, so if she didn't seem upset with what she considered a 'serious' condition, then it was only because she saw no point in being. Her only concern at the moment seemed to be how he would handle the news himself, which explained her hesitation in revealing what was wrong.

Her concern over his reaction to the news was not unfounded, for even now he felt like he was going to fall apart, and he wasn't sure if he could bare it. To even think of loosing Mai- never hearing her velvet like voice filled with dry wit and sarcasm, never feeling her smooth porcelain like skin, never seeing her smile…those special smiles that seemed reserved only for him. He loved her, he needed her, and right now nothing mattered more to him than her; not his throne, not his nation, not even his own life.

He place both his hands on her upper arms in a reassuring grip, and his eyes locked on to hers.

"Whatever's wrong, we'll fix this," He promised her, his determination just barely overriding his desperation.

Confusion made it's way into her eyes, but it was soon followed by exasperation.

"Zuko," She frowned, closing her eyes. "This isn't something you can just fix."

That was the last thing he wanted to hear, and Zuko shook his head in an almost angry gesture, refusing to accept that there was nothing that could be done.

"There has to be something." He insisted, his mind frantically searching for a solution. "There must be some kind of…cure…or.." He paused and then straightened. "Katara!"

Mai sighed. "Zuko.."

"Katara could heal you." He said, ignoring what he assumed would be Mai's protest. "We could send a letter now and-"

"Zuko!"

Mai's stern voice cut through his rambling, and his eyes focused back on her now angry looking face as she pushed his hands off her shoulders.

"There's no point in Katara coming here." she replied, frowning. "You don't even know what I'm going to tell you."

"I don't care, Mai." He insisted, frustrated to the point of near tears. "I'm not going stand by and do nothing. I can't lose you!"

Mai eyes widened slightly in comprehension, before narrowing in irritation.

"I'm not dieing you idiot." She replied, her voice rising in an attempt to penetrate her husbands thick skull. "I'm pregnant."

"Thank Agni..," Zuko sighed, bowing his head, his shoulders slumping.

She wasn't dieing. He wasn't going to lose her. Zuko felt relief and gratitude wash over him as he comprehended this and nothing else..

"For a moment I thought you might be.."

His shoulders drew back suddenly, his head quickly jerking up to stare at his wife in shock and disbelief as his brain caught up with the rest of her words.

"P-Pregnant!?"

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**Hehe. I know it was evil of me to end this chapter like that, but well...I'm evil sometimes.**

**I do plan on making another chapter though....so don't worry about that. I'll probably switch bak in forth between both Zuko's and Mai's thought and feelings in the next installment thought.**

**Until then, please leave me a review.**

**Let me know if I'm getting too OOC.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Yeah, I know. It's about time huh?**

**Sorry it took this long, but this was all I got finished before I got caught up in....other things. (Sounds mysterious, but truthfully I just lost my focus.).**

**This chapter is still everything I intended for it to be though, so I hope u won't be disappointed.**

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"P-Pregnant!?"

The fire Lord stood there stunned, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. The look on his face was almost comical in it's surprise, and Mai might have even laughed if such a thing came easy to her, and if she still wasn't just a tiny bit annoyed.

"Yes, Zuko. That is what I said."

Zuko blinked several times at this before stuttering out a mostly incoherent response.

"But..you…I…how?"

"How do you think?" She asked impatiently, affectively covering up the pang of disappointment she felt toward his reaction.

Zuko seemed to pause for a moment as if finally collecting himself, and all the tension seemed to drain out of him; his shoulders slumped again, his arms went mostly limp at his side, and his expression changed from stunned disbelief to wonder.

"You're sure?"

His voice was soft, attentive, and Mai found it impossible to be annoyed with him a that moment. At least he sounded rational again.

"I am." she answered calmly. "The healer says I'm nearly two months along."

Zuko stared at his wife for a few more moments, almost in a daze.

She was going to have a baby- No, not just _a_ baby, _Their_ baby.

Zuko felt a sudden warmth within his chest, his heart skipped hopefully, even as his mind still tried to fully understand what all of this meant.

They had always been a couple him and Mai, but now…now they would be a family. Mai wouldn't just be his wife any more, but also the mother of his child.

And he would be a…father.

As this bit of information finally sunk in, it was impossible to stop the grin that spread across his face, and recalling his previous misunderstanding he laughed at his own foolishness as he caught Mai in a sudden hug.

"Mai, that's great!" he laughed a bit as he said this, taking a step back to grin at her in that excited and somewhat foolish way that revealed his obvious joy and pride.

Mai raised one eyebrow slightly, looking mildly surprised.

"It is?"

"Of course, I-" he stopped, seeming to finally notice the expression on Mai's face.

He frowned slightly, uncertain.

"Are you.. not happy about this?"

Mai closed her eyes briefly, shaking her head.

"It's not that, Zuko." she replied, determined to set him straight before he jumped to any other conclusions. "I just have…concerns."

When Zuko's eyebrows raised in alarm, she was quick to continue.

"And before you ask, no, there's nothing wrong with the baby or myself."

Zuko calmed instantly, still giving her his full attention as he nodded for her to continue.

"To be completely honest, I wasn't sure how you'd feel about this," She replied, watching as several emotions flickered across his face, obviously remembering her hesitation before.

"We always said we would wait." she continued. "Despite the councils urgings about producing an heir, we knew we weren't ready. Things were still unstable in the fire nation, and we barely had time for ourselves…..taking care o f a child would have only led to more strain on our relationship and on your position as Fire Lord. We both agreed to that soon after being married."

"It's not like that now." He pointed out.

"I know." She conceded. "But we never discussed it further than that. It wasn't mentioned again except by the council, and you were quick to dismiss them. I couldn't help but think that you would see this as an inconvenience to you."

Mai felt suddenly very foolish and guilty when she saw her husbands saddened and troubled expression, but when she adverted her gaze, Zuko sighed and took her hand in his.

"Mai."

She looked up into his eyes as he spoke.

"A second ago I thought I was going to lose you," he paused, a sudden smile on his face, "and now I know that I'm going to be a.. a father."

Mai couldn't help but squeeze his hand when she heard the contented awe filled tone in his voice as he said the word 'father'. Not since he had begun refering to his Uncle as such did he ever say the word with such warmth.

"It may not be something I planned for," He continued softly, seriously, "But I couldn't imagine ever wanting anything more than to start a family with you."

For several moments Mai didn't know how to react- usually whenever Zuko said something heartfelt or sensitive toward her, she'd roll her eyes, telling him what a dork he was, or on some occasions tell him that he talks too much and then following the statement with a kiss. Now though, Mai could only think about how lucky she was, feeling relief, happiness, and the irrational sting of tears behind her eyes.

'Stupid hormones' she thought, still frozen in place even as Zuko brought his free hand to her face, gazing at her in concern and confusion.

"Mai?"

It wasn't until his thumb brushed across her now moist cheek, that she realized that she was indeed crying. She felt foolish- she was not one to shed tears lightly, and yet she did so now for no rational reason at all.

Zuko's expression was troubled.

"What's wrong?" he asked, eyes widening suddenly. "Is it the baby? Are you hurting? Should we-"

Mai quickly placed a finger to his lips, silencing him, although partially grateful that he had managed to ground her.

"First off, I'm fine." she replied, satisfied that her voice didn't falter. "Secondly, you don't need to freak out every time you even think somethings wrong, and thirdly," she paused, taking her finger away from his mouth to poke him in the chest, looking at him sternly. "If you tell anyone about me crying I swear you won't live to see the birth."

Zuko smiled some, remembering a similar occurrence between the two, recalling her words 'don't ever break up with me again.'

"I wont." he promise, then chuckled. "Who'd believe me anyway?"

"Good point." she replied, satisfied.

"So," Zuko began softly, serious. "How _do_ you feel about ..um..this" he gestured vaguely toward her stomach.

Mai instinctively felt her hand come to rest on her belly as she looked away from him, her gaze traveling out toward the garden.

"I've never thought of myself as the mothering type." she replied. "To tell you the truth, I was satisfied with it just being the two of us- having a child was inevitable, but not something I had ever really longed for."

Mai closed her eyes, a small, contented -if not somewhat ironic- smile on her face.

"But I guess you were right, Zuko; fate has a way of leading us down paths we never thought we'd take, only to have us end up exactly where we wanted to be."

"More my Uncle's words than mine," Zuko admitted sheepishly.

Mai looked up into his eyes, her gaze determined and sure, her smile still present.

"I want this Zuko." she replied steadily. "I've never been more certain."

Zuko let out a breathe, smiling down at her fondly.

"I love you." he stated softly, bringing his hand back up to gently caress her cheek.

"I'm glad you feel that way." She replied, a somewhat sarcastic smile on her face. "I'm rather fond of you too."

Zuko chuckled softly at this before closing the gap between them, capturing his wife in a tender kiss, marveling at his good fortune- and for the first time in a long time, accepting it without question, but with gratitude.

* * *

**Okay...bad news time:**

**Sadly, I don't think I'll be able to continue with this-- since staying in-character is becoming challenging and my mind has been drifting away from 'the avatar' fandom for some time now.**

**I've totally lost my grasp on this story and I apologize for that- I had originally hoped to actually go through the whole pregnancy thing but....(sigh)....I just don't see it happening.**

**Please don't be angry with me! But if I tried to write more it would be a struggle, and then the story would just be crappy and forced and blah...and I can't do that.**

**Please forgive me, and um.....leave a review.....preferably a not angry one.**


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